Non-volatile storage devices, such as flash memory devices, have enabled increased portability of data and software applications. For example, flash memory devices can enhance data storage density by storing multiple bits in each flash memory cell. To illustrate, Multi-Level Cell (MLC) flash memory devices provide increased storage density by storing 3 bits per cell, 4 bits per cell, or more. Electronic devices, such as mobile phones, typically use non-volatile storage devices, such as flash memory devices, for persistent storage of information, such as data and program code that is used by the electronic device. Advances in technology have resulted in increased storage capacities of non-volatile storage devices with reductions in storage device size and cost.
As cells of flash memory devices become closer to each other in distance with reduction in feature size, program disturb and/or read disturb present issues that impact data integrity. Read disturb refers to undesirably altering the charge on a floating gate of a cell during a read operation. Memory cells adjacent to selected cells that are read during read operations may suffer read disturb as a result of parasitic charge coupling between the disturbed cells and the cells being read. Program disturb refers to undesirably altering the charge on a floating gate of a cell while programming another cell. Program disturb may be due to parasitic capacitance coupling between adjacent cells. If the change in threshold voltage due to programming one cell causes a second cell's voltage to shift to a different threshold voltage range, an error results when the second cell is read. Thus, as non-volatile storage devices become smaller and more dense, maintaining the integrity of stored data becomes more challenging. As non-volatile memory devices are scaled to smaller dimensions, an increasing proportion of the manufactured memory devices may be determined to exhibit an error rate that exceeds a threshold error rate, reducing the manufacturing yield of the memory devices and increasing an overall per-unit cost of the memory devices.